1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerated commodities transport system in which commodities from a client are loaded onto a truck at a freight-collecting place and then transported to a recipient while being kept refrigerated.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are two methods of transporting commodities. In one method, commodities refrigerated in a warehouse at a starting place are loaded onto a truck (hereinafter referred to as a refrigerator car) having one freezer or one refrigerator, and then transported to a destination, where the commodities are unloaded from the refrigerator car in order to store them in a warehouse at the destination. In the other method, commodities are stored in a heat insulating container at a station (starting place) where a cooling device is provided, and the container can be loaded on and unload from the refrigerator car. A first cooling device for refrigerating the inside of the container at the station, and a second cooling device for refrigerating the inside of the container on the refrigerator car are also provided (Refer to Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 63-169464).
As regards the above first method, because all the refrigerated commodities stored in the refrigerator car are controlled in a uniform temperature zone, a plurality of refrigerator cars are required when the commodities are transported while being kept refrigerated in different temperature zones. This results in a problem in that one refrigerator car only is not capable of transporting the commodities while being kept refrigerated in different temperature zones.
As regards the above second method, although the heat insulating container may be loaded on and unloaded from the refrigerator car, it is necessary for the station to have the first cooling device which refrigerates the inside of the container. The container must be linked to the first cooling device in order to refrigerate the inside of the container. This leads to a problem in that the preparation for such linkage between the container and the first container takes much time.
The present invention provides a refrigerated commodities transport system which transports commodities refrigerated in different temperature zones in only one refrigerator car and which facilitates cooling work at a station.